once upon a time

‘Let’s play pirates’ said John to his brother Jack. ‘Let’s pretend the garden is a tropical island. We’ll look for treasure, there’s bound to be some’.

‘I’ll get Daddy’s spade and a sack’ said Jack.

‘Twelve steps forward and two steps right’ said John looking at an imaginary treasure map in his hand. ‘I think it’s here’ he said pointing to a bit of garden with no flowers in it.

‘Watch out, there’s a tiger’ said Jack to John.

Tom the ginger cat stopped and stared for a moment or two, then wandered off. ‘Shiver my timbers’ said Jack, ‘that was close’.

‘Argh Jack lad, so it was’ said John. ’Look, there’s a parrot in that tree.’ He tap-tap-tapped his shoulder hoping it would come and sit on it. The pigeon flapped its wings and flew away!

They made a big hole 

and burrowed and dug.

Rusty old nails,

a bit of a plate,

a handle that broke off a mug!

‘When Daddy sees this mess he’ll be cross’ said John.

‘He’ll make us walk the plank’ said Jack. ‘Yesterday he planted seeds here and now we’ve dug them up!

‘We’ll fill the hole and smooth the dirt, he’ll never know’ said John.

‘He will when his new plants don’t grow’ said Jack.

‘Or they grow upside-down’ John said.

‘But we are not afraid because we are pirates’. 

‘Argh’ growled John.

‘Argh’ Jack growled back, ‘We are fearless’

‘Oh no!’ yelled John pointing to a little mouse as he ran for the kitchen door!